The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer.

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Hillary Clinton isn’t ready to move closer to Democratic rival Bernie Sanders’ plan to expand government with a single-payer health insurance plan in the campaign for their party's nomination for the presidency of the United States.

Just two nights after Sanders scored an impressive win over the former Secretary of State in the New Hampshire primary, Clinton said tonight during a debate with the Vermont Senator in Milwaukee that starting from scratch to create a “Medicare-for-all” single-payer system would be too divisive politically to pull off.

Rather, Clinton said expanding health benefits to cover the remaining 10% of Americans who cannot access coverage through existing programs or their employers should be done incrementally to build on President Obama’s signature legislative achievement, the Affordable Care Act.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton participate in the PBS NewsHour Democratic presidential candidate debate at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee The debate is the final debate before the Nevada caucuses scheduled for February 20. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Sanders’ single-payer health insurance proposal would be funded with a tax increase and he said it could be done by closing loopholes and asking wealthy Americans to pay more in taxes. Politically, Sanders said Medicare for all can be a reality “if we have the courage to take on drug companies, insurance companies and medical equipment suppliers.”